Annunciator



Jime 29 1926. 1,590,720

` O. BENNETT ANNUNG IATOR Original Filed De@v 22, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet .1

@5; Za f June 29 1926. 1,590,720

O. BENNETT ANNUNCIATOR Original Filed Dec. 22. 1922 3 Sheets-Shut 2 INVENTOR. Uff/.v xsw/vfrr BY l ATTURNEY.

June 2 9 1926. 1,590,720

o. BENNTT ANNUNCIATOR Original Fil'd DGC- 22, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @la Y INVENTOR. 0PM/ .5H/N5 rr ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1926.

:UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ANNUNGIATGB..

Application led Beceinaer 32, 1922, Seri-a1 No. @S-5G23. Renewed November 21, 1925.

The present invention is an improved annunciator and relates to electrically operated devices Yfor displaying at predetermined intervals of Vtime announcements as, Jfor instance, names or Vnumbers of streets as the same are approached by `a moving car.

The objects oi this invention include:

(S1) The provision of a .device ci thel character described Which may be installed -ivithin a street car, occupying very little space therein, and which will automatically operate to display in proper sequence and time the names of severalY streets or sta-tions as the same are approached.

(2) ,'Means vvhereby the successive vannouncements will be displayed Vin reverse order automatically (or manually at any desired point on the trip) for the return trip oit the car.

3) The provision of means associated With the trolley `Wires of a street ear system whereby trip members will lie in the path of travel of a trolley and serve Ato periodically close contact members and thus actuate the said annunciator Within the car.

@ther objects and advantages will appear as this description proceeds. In the accompanying three sheets 'of drawings,

Figure 1 is a `front elevation of my an nunciator, a portion of the face plate of the container being broken away,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1, the end Wall of the container being shown as broken away,

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1, taken on the Vline 'HL-HI,

Fig. 4; is a-"vieiv similar to F ig. 3 showing the parts therein in diiereut relative positions for reverse operation,

Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 1, taken on Vthe line V-V,

Fig. 6 is al perspective view of a detail,

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of another detail,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vView of a trolley arm showing a trip contact means associated therewith,

Fig. 9 is a section of Fig. 8, taken on the line VI`X--IX,

Fig. 1-0 is a lperspective view of a roll for Winding thereon a web and illustrating nieans'whereby said web will co-operat'e with 'other parts te vimmerse the direction ci thereof,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric wiring whereby my device is operated, and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the roll shown in Fig. 10, but lookin-g from the opposite direction at the opposite end. I Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a rear Wall member of a housing containing ivorling parts of my invention, and 2 a top member, a bottom member, and e and A5 vend members.

The rear Wall member is provided with ears 6 through which are bolt holes 7 for securing the casing` to a Wall. The housing is closed by a face plate 8, which is removably secured lthereto by tennons 9, Fig. 1, at the W bottom, which enter mortises or countersiuks in the floor 3, and at the vtop by a spring clip 11. Y

The tace plate 8 is provided with a Window 12 through which may be sighted a portion ot a web 13 to be later described. Said plate is also slotted, as shown at 14e to admit therethrough and limit the vertical movement ot a lever 16 for manual extraneous control of parts Within said casing. vinterior 4of the casing is divided into tivo compartments by a partitioiial Wall plate 17. The major compartment thus formed is closed by the face plate 3 and the minor by a plate 1S, Fig. 1, screwed-to members 2, 3, 5, and 17.

The web 13 on which is recorded the data to lbe successively displayed through the Window 12 may be of paper, oi' any suitable fabric., and is Wound around tivo similar rolls 1-9 and 21. These rolls are provided at the axes thereof with stub shaft-s 22, Fig. 10, which are secured against rotation with respect to said rolls.

To lthat stub shaft 22, on each roll, which is adjacent the partition 17, I secure a ratchet Wheel l23 allowing vthe stub shaft 22 to extend beyond v'the ratchet Wheel, as shown in Fig. 10, forthe purpose of inserting same in a hole -or 'bearing in the Wall 17.

The stub shafts at the 'ends .of the rolls 19 and 21 which are remote from the .ratchet Wheels 23 are journalled in split bearings 24, F ig. 1, secured to the end Walls ot the 'housing. By this means, the rolls 19 and 21 with the Web 13 may be removed from the housing and Yothers substituted 'therefor "Witheet f zafbingvother pam It will be noted that the ratchet wheels 23 are in reverse relation to each other (Figs. 3 and 4). I will now describe means ly mounted on said shaft is one end'of a solenoid 27. The movable core of this solenoid is pivotally connected at 28 to an arm 29, secured to a rocker shaft 31 the ends of which are journalled in the wall plates 5 and 17 i Secured, as by a set screw 32, on rocker shaft 31 is a rocker arm 33, from the opposite ends of which extend pivot pins 34 and 36. These pins extend through arcuate slots 37 and 38 respectively in the partitional wall 17. The curvature of these slots is concentric with the rocker shaft 31. The pivot pins 34 and 36 carry respectively pawls 39 and 41 which coact at times with the ratchet wheels 23 to move the web 13. These pawls extend in opposite directions from the vertical center line of the ratchet wheels 23, and as said wheels are in reverse relation to each other, it will be seen that, if one pawl be engaged with a ratchet wheel and actuated by rocker arm 33, the web 13 will wind onto one roll and unwind from theother, and if said pawl be disengaged and the other engaged with its corresponding ratchet wheel, the movement of the rolls and web thereon will be reversed. I will now describe means whereby said pawls may be caused to selectively engage one of said ratchet wheels and disengage the other.

In Fig. 4, I show the pawl 39 in engaging position and part-s which co-act to disengage said pawl and engage pawl 41 as shown in Fig. 3.-l The manually operated means for reversing the direction of travel of web 13 is controlled by the lever 16 which is pivoted at one end on a screw 42, threaded into andy extending outwardly from the wall 17. In Fig. 7 I show thel lever 16 in perspective. At 40 I show a drill hole for engaging the screw 42. At 43 I show a screw which pivotally secures to lever 16 one end of a link member 44, Figs. 3 and 4, the opposite end of which is provided with a slot 46 for sliding engagement with a pin 47 protruding from the pawl 39. As the pin 47 is between the pivot of pawl 39 and that portion thereof which engages the ratchet wheel, an up vsaidpawl in the vopposite direction. This ward thrust of lever 16 will raise the said pawl out of engagement with said wheel.

Said pawl 41 is provided with a finger 45, Fig. 3, extending from the pivotal point of linger 45 bears aga-inst; t-he 1eyer'16- and, when depressed thereby,`raises said pawl 41 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. As lever 16 is raised the pawl 41, assisted by a counterweight 46, gradually descends to operative position. Y

In order to yieldably maintain the pawls in either operative or inoperative positions and to provide means automatically co-opcrative with the web 13 for reversing the positionv of said pawls, I provide a lever 46, shown in perspective in Fig. 6.

This lever 46 is drilled,` as shown at 47, for pivotal engagement thereof by the screw 42. IIhe lever 46 is provided with a stud 48 which is at all times slidably engaged with the bifurcated end of a lever 49, Fig. 4, i?.

pivoted on a stub shaft 51. The levers 46 and 49 are yieldably maintained in different relative angular positions by a tension spring 52 secured at one end to apin 53 on lever 46 and at the opposite end to a pin 54 on lever 49. Y

The lever 46 is pivoted at the same point as is the lever 16 and in order to provide for a movement of lever V46, relative to lever 16, and to limit said movement, I provide a slot 56 in lever 46, Fig. 6. The screw 43 extends through said slot 56 and acts as a stop at each end of said slot.

It will be seen from this description, so far, that, when lever 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, continuous reciprocation of rocker arm 29 by solenoid 27 will cause pawl 41 to advance, step by step, the roll 21,-mov ing web 13 downwardly past the window 12, and that, when said lever 16 is in the position shown in Fig.'4, the said reciprocation of rocker arm 29 will cause pawl 39 to move, step by step, the roll 19, moving the web 13 upwardly past the window 12.

If the lever 16 be held in an intermeffliate position neither pawl will engage Aand the rolls 1'9 and 21 may be removed from the `housing without disturbing any of the mechanism.

In order to cause automatic reversal of the direction of travel of the web 13 as each end of the'web is reached 'in unwinding, I provide the following details: In Figui() I show one of the rolls 19 and 21 in perspective and in Fig. 12 I show a respective view of the opposite end of said roll.V At 57 I show a fiat bar held in a groove in the periphery of the roll and bent toward the axes of the roll atthe ends thereof. At' 58 on each end of the roll I show screws which serve as pivots for a frame composed of end members 59 and 61 and parallel transverse bars 62 and 63. Y

The frame so formed is so constructed that' it normally lies tiush with the periphery of the roll to which it is pivoted but may be swung on its pivots to the position shown in Fig. 5,-by the pullvof-the web 13.V The web is secured at each end beingpasscd under the bar 57 before said bar is screwed Cil in piace in its groove. The web is also passed between the parallel bars (i2-68 as shown in Figs. 5 and 12.

It will be seen that, while one of the rolls carries several layers of the web 13', the trame will assume the position shown in the roll 19, Fig. 5, and the parallel .bars 62H63 will seat in a groove 64, but, when the end of the roll is reached in unwinding, the pull from the full roll (exerted in a direction tangential to the periphery of the empty one) will ca-use the web 13 to unseat bars 62-68 from groove 64 and swing the trame on its pivots to the position shown on roll 21, Fighe. To make use of this movement to reverse the direction of travel oi web 18 automatically, I proifide a pin 66, Figs. 1 and 10, extending from the frame members 59. This pin co-acts with fingers 67 on lever 46 to reverse the position of lever 16. It will be understood that each of the rolls 19-21 is provided with a frame and pin 66 and that ingers 67 extend from opposite sides of lever 46, whereby the automatic reversal is accomplished when either end of web 13 is unwound.

In order to prevent spinning of the rolls 19 and 21 when actuated by the solenoid 27 I provide a brake element consisting of spring clips 68, Fig. 5, pivotally secured at 69 and held by tension springs 71 to bolts 72. The tension of springs 71 may be adjusted by nuts 7 8 and thereby predetermine the pressure exerted by the brake ele-ments.

In Fig. 11, I show diagrammatically the wiring circuit for actuating my device.

At 74 I show a battery and at 77 a wire connecting same with a contact 78. This contact is normally held out of contact with a similar contact 79 by a .spring 81. When the contacts 78 and 79 are closed, current from battery 74 passes through a wire 82 to one terminal of an electromagnet 88. The purpose of the magnet- 83 is to hold the current after the momentary closing of the contacts 78 and 79 during the operation of the solenoid 27, the action of which is eomparatively slow.

From the other terminal of magnet 83 a wire 86 leads to one terminal of the solenoid 27 from the other terminal of which a wire 76 leads to the opposite pole of the battery.

At 84 I show an armature. Then this armature is attracted by the energized magnet 88 current (following the line of least resistance) passes from battery 74 through a wire 87 and (though contact be broken between points 78 and 79 by spring 81) the core of solenoid 27 slowly descends until contact is broken by a finger 88 secured to arm 9.9 which encounters and lifts armature 84 away from magnet 88.

At 89 I show a spring secured at one end to a pin 91 extending from Wall 17 and at the opposite end to arm l? hen the selenoid 27 is cle-energized this spring returns the core of the solenoid and arm 29 to "heir initial positions.

It will thus be seen that I have provided means tor advancing' step by step, the web 13, and means whereby said web will reverse .its direction of travel automaticallyl when actuated by successive reciprocations of the solenoid 27. In order to provide means for periodically closing the contacts 78 and 79 without attention on the part of the conductor of the car, I provide the following:

In Figs. 8 and 9 I show the conventionall trolley arm at 91 provided with a pintle 92 for a trolley wheel 93 grooved tor travel underneath a trolley wire 94 supported at intervals throughout its length by grippers 96 which, in turn, are suspended by transverse guy wires 97. Secured to the biturcated end ot trolley arm 91 and approximately concentric with pintle 92 is a fender block 98 or' insulative material in the form of a truncated cone. This block is provided with a tubular boss 99 of insulative material fixed against rotation. Rotatable within said boss is sleeve 101 open at one end and closed at the end remote from block 98.

Threaded into the sleeve 101 is a metal pin serving as contact 78. This pin extends through a slot 102 in boss 99 and said slot limits the degree ot rotation of sleeve 101 relative to boss 99. The contact pin 78 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 9 by a tension spring secured at one end to said pin and at the opposite end to block 98.

At 108 I show a pendulum weight pivotally suspended by arms 104 from guy wire 97. llfhen, in the torward travel ot' trolley arm 91, the pin 78 encounters a` pendulum weight 103 the said pin is forced backwardly in slot 102 until said pin encounters contact 79 (in this case secured to the block 98) whereupon the circuit shown in Fig. 11 will be inon'ientarily closed, energizing magnet 83 and solenoid 27, and advancing web 13 one step. By distributing the pendulum weights 103 at suitable intervals on the trolley wire line the step by step advance of web 13 will coincide with cross streets or stations.

At 10G I show a tension spring secured at one end to armature 84 and at the opposite end to a pin 107 secured to wall 17. This spring normally holds said armature suspended over magnet 88.

In order to delay the downward stroke of the core of solenoid 27 I provide an air check shown on dotted lines in Fig. 2. A ball 108 seats in a well 109 and closes a passage 110 leading to the atmosphere. This ball check delays the down strolre and does not ari-eet the up stroke oit the core.

I claim:

llt)

l. An annunciator comprising a housing, rolls journalled in said housing, a Web secured at each end to one of said rolls, pavvl and ratchet means for actuating said rolls to eHect a step by step movement of said web to successively expose portions thereof through a Window in said housing, manually operated means for selectively engaging a paivl with either of said rolls to determine the direction of travel of said web, automatic means, responsive to the movement ot said web, whereby said engaged pawl Will disengage and the other pavwl engage when said Wch is unrolled to either of its ends, and means, responsive to a reciprocatingr movement, tor actuating said paWl and ratchet means.

2. An annunciator comprising a housing, rolls journalled in said housing, a web secured at each end to one of said rolls, pavvl and ratchet means for actuating said rolls to effect a step by step movement of said weh to successively expose portions thereof through a Window in said housing, manually operated means for selectively engaging a pawl with either of said rolls to determine the direction of travel of said web, automatic means, responsive to the movement of said web, whereby said engaged pavvl Will disengage and the other pavvl engage when said ivehis unrolled to either of its ends, reciprocative means for actuating said paivl and ratchet means, and means yieldahle to hoth of said manual and automatic means, for retaining either otl said paivls in operative engagement with one of said rolls.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signa-ture.

GRIN BENNETT. 

